Wagon nut-lock.



UNITED STATES PATENT 'EEICE PATRICK J. MORAN, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

WAGON NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 667,241, dated February 5, 1901.

Application filed May 5, 1900. erlal N- 15,637. (No model.)

4 ifo all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK J. MoRAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, Shelby county, State of Tennessee, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in Vagon Nut-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to an improvernentin nut-locks for locking nuts on wagon-axles.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective nut-lock which is durable and which may be applied to vehicles which are now in use by any carriage-smith or' blacksmith and that without excessive cost.

My invention consists in combining with the axle-nut a lock binding on the outer face of the nut, said lock having threads c ut in the opposite direction from those on the axlenut, and in the details and parts hereinafter set forth more fully in the drawings, specilication, and claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of a thimble-skein wagon-axle, showing an open nut, washer, and cap-screw lock. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a thimbleskein axle, showing the thimble held in place on the wooden axle .I by means of a lag-screw.

Referring now t0 the drawings, in which like parts are indicated by the same letters of reference, Fig. l shows aA thimble-skein axle A,on which is screwed an ordinary openend wagon-nut B'. The thread C on this nut B and that on the axle-skein A are right or left as the axle is used for the right or left wheel, (facing forward in the vehicle,) respectively. In the end of the axle-skein B', I tap a hole having left or right hand threads, respectively, according as the axleskein has right or left hand threads, and into this hole I screw a cap G, having threads cut to lit. Since the nut is open and the capscrew hardly large enough to touch the nut, I use a washer M to hold the nut in place. This washer may be made integral with thecapscrew, in which case it forms an annular collar around the head of the screw, or in case the head of the cap-screw is large enough to en gage the nut B may be dispensed with altogether. In the drawings, however, I have shown the washer separate from the capscrew, because the two may be thus more cheaply obtained than where they have t0 be specially made. It is best, and where possible should be so arranged, that the washer shall bind on the cap-screw at P, so that these two become, in effect, one piece and may be removed as one piece. In applying this form to an axle already in use it is only necessary to drill a hole in the end of the axle and tap same either with the nut and wheel on or off. If the nut be removed, it must of course be replaced and the cap-screw and washer be screwed up to complete the lock.

In Fig. 2 I show a lag-screw H to hold a thimble-skein'in place. This lag-screw H projects beyond the end of the nut and prevents the washer from coming down on the nut. In this case I make use of a washer N, hollowed out to go over the head J of the lag-screw. This Washer has a hole O, through which a cap-screw E3 is inserted, as in the preceding case, this lagscrew having left or right hand threads, as the case may be. In making this washer I preferably make it a cylindrical cup or hollow washer of diameter slightly larger than the greatest diameter of the head J of the lag-screw H and of slightlygreater depth than the thickness of the head. This leaves the washer free to bind against the nut. As in Fig. l, the cap-screw binds in the washer at O and forms with it one piece when they are removed. J is the end of the Wooden axle, to which the thimble is held by the lag-screw H. In applying this form of lock it is only necessary to tap a thread in the head J of the lag-screw H, eitherwhile the wheel is on or off or, if so desired, by removing the lag-screw entirely and taking it to a drill-press, where the work can be conveniently done and there drilling and tapping the hole and fittingA the cap-screw, the washer and cap-screw being applied after the lag-screw has been replaced in the end of the axle.

The necessity for some such lock is obvious to any one who has noted the delays incident to the loss of an axle-nut on a crowded street, 0r the trouble-more serious, perhaps, to the individual-which the loss of a nut at a point some miles from the nearest shop may cause. The lock which I have described is the simplest and easiest applied lock which can be IOO the driver oan have this lock itted to his axle nuts and be secure from the dangers and delays before mentioned. It is evident that should the nut start to loosen it will unserew only to that point at which the look binds on the face of the nut, and 'that any further attempt at turning will only serve to join the look and nut together'. It is obvious that if the lock is tightly set up there can be no movement at all and that it is only with eareless handling that sueh movement can oeeur. It is further evident that no matter how carelessly the nut and look are put on the final result will be the same-the lock Will bind the nut and prevent its accidental removal,whieh is after all the desideratum.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination with a thimble-skein axle, an open-face nut thereon and a Washer binding on the outer face of the nut of an oppositely-threaded oap-sorew passing through said Washer and holding it against the said nut, substantially as and. for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination with a tbimblesskein axle and an open nut thereon of a hollow or cup-shaped washer binding on the outer face of the nut and an oppositely-threaded Gapserew passing through said Washer and holding it against said nut, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. As an axle-nut look the combination with a thimble-skein, a lag-screw to hold same in place and an open nut on said skein, of a washer cupped or hollowed out to it over the head of the said lag-screw and tobind against the outer face of said nut and a cap-screw tapped into the head of said lag-screw to hold the washer against the nut substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

PATRICK J. MORAN.

Witnesses:

F. H. HEISKELL, THos. B. TURLEY. 

